Celebs and VP hopefuls raise $4M for Kamala at ‘White Dudes for Harris’ event

Vice President Kamala Harris received a significant fundraising boost of $4 million on Monday through a unique event dubbed the “White Dudes for Harris” fundraiser, aimed at garnering support from white male voters in preparation for the 2024 election.

The online gathering attracted over 190,000 participants and successfully raised $4 million for the Harris Victory Fund, according to the organizers. The live stream on YouTube, however, peaked at around 64,000 viewers. The substantial funds raised included sales of baseball caps adorned with the “White Dudes for Harris” logo, a distinctive symbol of the group.

Among the celebrity endorsers were Hollywood actors Jeff Bridges, Sean Astin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bradley Whitford, and Mark Hamil. These notable figures urged viewers to support Harris’ campaign and oppose former President Donald Trump during the event, which adopted a telethon-style format.

Jeff Bridges, an Academy-Award-winning actor famed for his role as Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski in the Coen brothers’ film “The Big Lebowski,” expressed his enthusiasm for the idea of Harris becoming the first female president of the United States. “A woman president. I’m for that,” he proclaimed, emphasizing his support by saying, “Kamala is most certainly our girl.”

The “White Dudes for Harris” event follows a series of similar virtual gatherings aimed at securing votes from key demographics, including white women, black women, South Asians, and the LGBTQ community.

Ross Morales Rocketto, the event organizer, shared his motivation for initiating “White Dudes for Harris,” acknowledging the unique challenges men often face and how these can sometimes translate into violent or destructive behaviors. He also addressed what he described as “the elephant in the room”—the discomfort some people felt about the event, due to the historical context of white male organization in the U.S.

“A lot of people feel and felt uncomfortable about the call, and I think that is understandably so,” Morales Rocketto stated, explaining that throughout American history, when white men have organized, it has often been with harmful intent. Despite this, he stressed the importance of engaging white men who support Harris, arguing that the political left has “ceded white men to the MAGA right for way too long.” Morales Rocketto emphasized that the majority of white men are not supporters of the MAGA movement.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also participated, being the first of several potential Harris running mates to address the audience. Introduced as “the internet’s favorite candidate for VP,” Buttigieg highlighted the positive energy of the event and argued that men are more liberated when leaders support access to birth control and IVF. He urged Harris supporters to focus on their values and beliefs rather than merely opposing the other side.

“Donald Trump’s unfitness for office is clear and nobody will be able to prosecute that better than Kamala Harris,” Buttigieg added, emphasizing Harris’ ability to challenge Trump effectively.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, another potential VP candidate, took the opportunity to criticize Trump and GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance. Pritzker referred to Trump as a “34-time convicted felon and adjudicated rapist and congenital liar,” claiming that he is a fraud, while derisively referring to Vance as his “mini me.”

Pritzker also made several references to a debunked internet hoax falsely asserting that Vance included an inappropriate anecdote in his 2016 memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” saying, “Vance seems completely unwilling to couch his disdain for women.”

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, another potential vice-presidential contender, joined in condemning Trump and Vance by labeling them as “the anti-freedoms” and “robber barons.” Walz praised the event attendees for setting the foundation for Harris’ campaign success. “We need a plan to win. And that’s what you guys are doing,” he said, before harshly criticizing Trump again.

Walz concluded with a fervent declaration about Trump: “How often in the world do you make that bastard wake up afterwards and know that black woman kicked his ass and sent him on the road. And that’s something that guy is going to have to live with for the rest of his life.”

Source: The New York Post, AP, Getty Images